Hello! I have spent so much time on these boards lately. I really appreciate all of your experience and wisdom.
I am 31 and have 2 beautiful children. I am hoping to have more.
I had an abnormal pap last month and my biopsy results say, "severe squamous dysplasia and squamous cell carcinoma insitu with involvement of endocervical glands". I will be having a cone biopsy next week. The doctor said I will leave the hospital within a few hours after surgery. How soon after surgery will I be home? He said he will send me home with Percoset. Will I be in that much pain? Can I care for my girls (1 and 3 1/2)?
Thank you!!!

I had a LEEP cone versus the cold knife cone, so I can't help you too much regarding recovery or pain levels. Have you searched the archives of this forum for information? You may get some good answers that way if no one comes by to share their personal experience.

I have two children 15months apart - they were 3 and 2 when I had my LEEP. I had my sister here to help out with the kids for a day following my LEEP. I don't know if I needed her here physically as much as emotionally. If you can, arrange to have a bit of extra help and then you can focus on YOU and your healing without having to focus on the kids (I know it is hard not to, but sometimes you must).

Good luck with your cone biopsy and fingers crossed for complete excision/clear margins!

I had a cold knife cone biopsy last month, jmj. Usually it is outpatient surgery under general anesthesia, and you are discharged after you wake up and can pee. I also went home with percocet (oxycodone) but never needed to take it; I did take ibuprofen for a few days for inflammation and cramps. I also took it pretty easy for the first couple of days.

The difficulty for you with small children is that it is virtually a hard-and-fast rule, from all I have read, not to lift anything over 10 pounds for a month. I would advise you to adhere to this. You are also advised not to do any reaching. So it would seem you would need help with the children. Pin your doctor down as to restrictions and when they can safely be lifted.

About 12 days after my cone I developed rather heavy bleeding. Fortunately this lasted only a few days and went away on its own. I did read that it is not terribly uncommon.

Get good written instructions on everything to expect, and to do, noting all activity restrictions and all circumstances under which to call. The two major dangers are infection or bleeding. These are not common but you should be aware of them. It's a good idea to monitor your temperature during the first few days.

All in all I would rate this surgical procedure as pretty easy -- but I followed the activity restrictions to the letter. (Also, I did get a little constipated, which is typical for me after anaesthesia and the painkiller administered in the hospital, but milk of magnesia took care of that.)